They do not have to have 3 or any at all but it would help their application if they have one or more

You should talk to this person first. It is like you are applying for a job and they are your referral.

They don't have to be staff

You would likely want to have somebody that is reputable. If you choose a new player that not many people know it is less effective.

Additionally just because you have not seen a player on the server is not a reason to mark them as a negative support in my opinion. It should rather be marked potential. We could easily grow in size and have everybody marking them negative, which will just hide them. We should use negative for better uses with information we know and have knowledge of. This will have negative ratings show more accurately.

I would say the same thing about age. Until you have played on the server with the player you should wait to negative vote them. Some players can surprise you with maturity and skill, which is why I've been known to accept some. A player applying underage should be expected to not have squeaker voice as that is a firm denial. 16 is the age limit we prefer to find candidates. In rare circumstances, we do have younger qualified candidates show up and we do not want to push those away even if underage if we feel they can handle the task at hand. Our limit is not set to 14 because a majority of 14-year-olds cannot handle this task.

Yes, some can say 'oh I'll fix it later when I see them on the server', and that is fine and all but I don't support it.

Lastly, we do appreciate the communities assistance with picking potential candidates. We need to be respectful to new applicants. Some players are weary to even apply due to some members harsh temperament.